By Luke Sumpter

Nausea strikes for a variety of reasons, be it the result of an infection or morning sickness during pregnancy. Despite the numerous causes of nausea, it always manifests in the same way: an uneasy feeling in the stomach that often signals imminent vomiting. Interestingly, several cannabis-based medicines are approved for the treatment of nausea in very specific scenarios, and the endocannabinoid system presents itself as a promising therapeutic target. Does smoking weed help with nausea? You’re about to find out.


What Is Nausea?

Nausea. We’ve all felt this uneasy, queasy feeling at some point. Whether you drank too much the night before or went on a boat trip during choppy weather, you’ve probably felt nausea start to creep up on you in the past. But what exactly is nausea?

Nausea and vomiting are often thought of as synonymous; they’re different, but they share some similarities. Both are often signs of infection or other illnesses. Whereas vomiting involves the uncontrollable reflex that expels the contents of the stomach through the mouth, nausea involves a feeling of uneasiness in the stomach, often accompanied by the urge to vomit. However, feeling nauseated doesn’t always involve vomiting.

There are many different reasons why a person might feel nauseated. Some of the most common include:

  • Stress and anxiety
  • Motion sickness
  • Morning sickness during pregnancy
  • Migraine
  • Viral infections such as flu
  • Food poisoning
  • Gastrointestinal conditions (irritable bowel syndrome)
  • Hangover/alcohol poisoning

Nausea serves a protective role in some instances, such as when we consume food contaminated with dangerous bacteria. However, sometimes it occurs when it doesn’t exactly seem necessary, such as when we feel anxious or are driving down a bumpy road. So, why does the sensation of nausea occur, exactly?

Why Nausea Occurs

Our bodies are a fascinating assembly of cells. They feature a range of automatic reactions aimed at keeping us safe. Accidentally place your hand on a hot surface, and your body will pull it away before you even have time to think about the pain. Walk into a dusty room, and your body will sneeze out those pesky particles without you making a conscious effort. Feeling nauseous, gagging, and eventually vomiting also autumns into this category of protective procedures. However, people rarely have problems with excessive sneezing or muscle contractions (except in the cases of certain diseases). Nausea, on the other hand, often rears its head on random occasions, although it too accompanies a range of disease states.

The signal that triggers nausea stems from several distinct areas of the brain[1]. For example, the area postrema detects certain vomiting-inducing substances in the blood, whereas the cerebellar and vestibular detect signals induced by motion that lead to feelings of nausea. These regions send signals to the nucleus tractus solitarius, which then induces a rise in vasopressin (a hormone that evokes nausea) levels and a response from the autonomic nervous system. Afferent signals from the GI tract, via the vagus nerve, also reach the nucleus tractus solitarius. These factors lead to gastric dysrhythmias and subsequent nausea.

What is Nausea

Endocannabinoids in the Gut

We talk a lot about the endocannabinoid system (ECS) here at Royal Queen Seeds. Why? Because this body-wide network of signalling molecules, receptors, and enzymes partially underpins how cannabis affects the body. The ECS consists of two key receptors (CB1 and CB2), several signalling molecules, and anabolic and catabolic enzymes. But things don't end there; the expanded ECS, or endocannabinoidome (eCBome), consists of many more components and also provides regulatory functions.

Within this system, signalling molecules known as endocannabinoids are responsible for interacting with receptors to change the activities in cells and ultimately maintain homeostasis (biological balance). These chemicals are found almost everywhere in the body, including two anatomical areas largely involved in nausea: the gut and the brain. The two chief endocannabinoids that take part in this regulation are anandamide (also known as the “bliss molecule”) and 2-AG.

Within the gut, these molecules are tasked with fulfilling several key functions[2], including:

Regulation of nausea and vomiting Regulation of visceral sensation
Control of intestinal inflammation Regulation of gastrointestinal motility
Inhibition of gastric acid secretion Enhancing food uptake

The ECS also serves as an important regulator of the gut–brain axis[3]—a bidirectional form of communication between the brain and peripheral nervous system components within the gut. This pathway links up regions of the brain responsible for emotion and cognition with peripheral gut functions. Hence, a wide array of factors—visual, auditory, and olfactory—can stimulate nausea.

Critically, cannabinoids from the cannabis plant (phytocannabinoids) are able to interface with the ECS in a similar way to endocannabinoids, as they share a similar molecular structure. Because endocannabinoids play a role in the regulation of nausea, action at the same receptor sites by way of phytocannabinoids, when applied in a clinical setting, could potentially offer similar results.

Does Weed Cause Nausea?

Before we delve into the research surrounding the possibility of cannabis helping nausea, we’re going to take a look at instances where substances in the plant can induce nausea. While some researchers are exploring the antiemetic properties of select cannabis constituents, others are finding out how some of them make us feel sick.

Many people who use cannabis frequently experience “greening out” at some point. Greening out refers to consuming too much cannabis, and experiencing nausea, vomiting, panic, and anxiety as a result; it encompasses uncomfortable sensations but doesn't equate to an overdose. When we inhale THC, the molecule binds to CB1 receptors in the central nervous system, which results in an acute rise of dopamine and the characteristic cannabis high. However, overstimulation of this site results in nausea and even vomiting in some users.

Cannabis Hyperemesis Syndrome

Cannabis hyperemesis syndrome (CHS), although rare, occurs in chronic cannabis users, and presents a more serious set of symptoms than simply greening out. After consuming high-THC cannabis, those with the condition experience cyclic nausea and vomiting, sometimes over the course of weeks, that could lead to hospitalisation.

The symptoms of CHS vary depending on the phase of the condition, but include early morning nausea, ongoing nausea, repeated episodes of vomiting, abdominal pain, dehydration, and reduced food intake and weight loss. Strangely, patients also frequently engage in compulsive bathing; many of them find that hot baths or showers help to relieve their symptoms.

But why does CHS occur? Several factors likely underpin the condition, including downregulation of CB1 receptors after prolonged cannabis use, mutations in the eCBome receptor site TRPV1, a deficiency in a liver enzyme (CYP2C9) that breaks down THC, and issues with dopamine signalling.

Does Weed Prevent Nausea?

Greening out and CHS aside, does cannabis help to relieve nausea? The studies remain early and inconclusive, but results so far appear promising.

It’s worth noting that the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) in the United States approved both dronabinol and nabilone (two synthetic versions of THC) for the treatment of chemotherapy-induced nausea and vomiting as a form of cannabinoid antiemetic therapy[4]. The exact mechanism of action remains unknown, but both CB1 and 5-HT3 receptor activation likely play a major role.

Several other cannabis constituents[5] also show early promise when it comes to nausea research, including THCA and CBDV.

Furthermore, while nausea has many causative factors, endocannabinoid tone (the amount of circulating endocannabinoids in the body) could play a role. For example, a study[6] that exposed participants to parabolic flight manoeuvres to induce motion sickness found that the participants most affected had lower circulating levels of 2-AG. This endocannabinoid targets both the CB1 and CB2 receptors. Phytocannabinoids such as THC and caryophyllene also target this site.

Furthermore, CBD manages to inhibit the enzyme fatty acid amide hydrolase (FAAH), which breaks down anandamide and, to a lesser extent, 2-AG.

CBD and Nausea Prevention

Cannabidiol (CBD) has risen in prevalence over recent years as a non-psychotropic cannabinoid. But does the molecule offer any relief when it comes to nausea? Again, the research in this area remains early and limited.

Animal research[7] conducted in 2011 found that CBD might help to buffer against nausea through action at serotonin receptors. A small human trial, conducted in 2016, administered Sativex (a combination of THC and CBD) to patients experiencing nausea due to chemotherapy. Despite interesting results, the medicine remains unapproved by the FDA. As well as binding to a range of eCBome receptors, CBD shows promise in raising endocannabinoid (molecules capable of combating nausea) levels by reducing the rate at which they’re broken down by catabolic enzymes of the ECS.

The Complex Relationship Between Cannabis and Nausea

Does smoking weed help nausea? What’s the best strain for nausea? No conclusive answers exist to these questions—yet. However, more research exists around nausea and medical marijuana than for many other conditions, which has paved the way for cannabis-based medicines as approved treatments for chemotherapy-induced nausea and vomiting.

Within the not-so-distant future, we should see more human trials emerge that put other cannabinoids to the test in this context. The science behind the ECS and eCBome in nausea regulation will also continue to develop, strengthening the argument to use and approve cannabis for different forms of nausea.

External Resources:
  1. Nausea: a review of pathophysiology and therapeutics - PMC https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov
  2. Regulation of nausea and vomiting by cannabinoids and the endocannabinoid system - PMC https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov
  3. The role of the endocannabinoid system in the brain-gut axis - PMC https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov
  4. Cannaboinoid Antiemetic Therapy - StatPearls - NCBI Bookshelf https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov
  5. Cannabis Pharmacology: The Usual Suspects and a Few Promising Leads - PubMed https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov
  6. Motion Sickness, Stress and the Endocannabinoid System | PLOS ONE https://journals.plos.org
  7. Regulation of nausea and vomiting by cannabinoids - PMC https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov
Disclaimer:
This content is for educational purposes only. The information provided is derived from research gathered from external sources.

Cookies settings

We are requesting your permission to use your data for the reasons stated below:

Functional cookies

Functional cookies help our website to function optimally and allow us to personalise certain features.

Preference cookies

Preference cookies allow us to remember information that influences the way our website looks, including your preferred language based on your region.

Analytical cookies

Analytical cookies give us insights into website traffic and customer behaviour, including how many people visit our site, how long they browse for, and which parts of our site they visit.

What are cookies?

Cookies are small pieces of data from a particular website that get stored on a user’s computer while they’re surfing the internet. Cookies have several different functions. Some of them track browser activity that enables businesses to deliver targeted advertisements. Other cookies serve to remember user login details to different websites to make jumping on social media, or other sites, a more fluid process. Because each cookie has its own unique ID, these pieces of data allow website owners to measure the unique traffic coming into their site.

Why do we use cookies?

Cookies come in handy when you visit our website. They ensure you stay logged in, that you can shop safely, and that the items you add to your cart stay there before you make a purchase. But cookies also help us. The data they provide allow us to improve our website and enable us to present you with targeted advertisements that are compatible with your interests.

What kind of cookies do we use?

Functional cookies

Functional cookies help our website to function optimally and allow us to personalise certain features.

Preference cookies

Preference cookies allow us to remember information that influences the way our website looks, including your preferred language based on your region.

Analytical cookies

Analytical cookies give us insights into website traffic and customer behaviour, including how many people visit our site, how long they browse for, and which parts of our site they visit.

How can I disable or delete cookies?

Not a fan of cookies? No worries. You can disable them (with the exception of necessary cookies) in your browser settings. However, blocking cookies may impact your browsing experience and prevent you from enjoying all of the technical features of our site.

Privacy Policy - Royal Queen Seeds

To ensure a safe online environment and guarantee adequate data protection, we strictly comply with all legal requirements. In this privacy statement, we provide information about how and for what purpose data is collected, safety measures, storage periods and contact details.


COMPANY NAME: SNORKEL SPAIN, SL (hereinafter ROYAL QUEEN SEEDS)

C/ Vilar d'Abdelà, 5 (nave 1) CP: 08170 de Montornès del Vallès

+34 937 379 846

support@royalqueenseeds.com


The present Privacy Policy sets out the terms on which we will treat personal data at ROYAL QUEEN SEEDS; this includes any personal data collected through our website https://www.royalqueenseeds.com/ as well as any other data we process in the course of our business activities.

ROYAL QUEEN SEEDS collects the following personal data for the purposes listed below:

SECTION 1 – PERSONAL INFORMATION WE COLLECT

1.1 Account purchases

Account purchases can only be made if you are in possession of a personal account. When you create an account or purchase something from our shop, as part of the buying and selling process we collect the following personal information that you provide to us:

This information is required for delivery. In addition, when you browse our shop, we automatically receive the Internet Protocol (IP) address of your computer. Based on this information, we can optimise your online experience and at the same time protect our online environment.

Purpose of data collection

We collect and store account-related data for the following purposes:

(a) to carry out obligations arising from any contracts between you and us, and to provide you with information, products and services that you may request from us;

(b) to set up, manage and communicate with you about your account and your orders;

(c) to conduct market research and analysis;

(d) to confirm your age and identity, and to detect and prevent fraud.

1.2 Newsletters

With your explicit permission, we may send you newsletters about our shop, new products and other updates. We send newsletters based on your explicit consent. In the event that you purchase a product, and in accordance with current regulations, we may send you commercial communications in accordance with the legitimate interest of our company, always about products or services similar to those you have purchased or contracted. In any case, you may exercise your right of opposition through the channels announced in this Privacy Policy. The following information is collected in relation to the newsletter:

We do not need to know the sex of the person in order to send the newsletter (data minimisation: by law we must ask for data that is strictly necessary to provide the service, and in this case knowing the sex is not necessary to send the newsletter).

Purpose of data collection

The data collected is used to:

(a) personalise our emails, including your name and gender;

(b) provide gender-specific content.

You can withdraw your consent at any time by using the link provided in the newsletter or the contact information provided in section 2.

1.3 Customer service and contact form

In order to provide appropriate support, our customer service employees have access to information related to the account. Consequently, their support will be highly effective and friendly. The data provided in our contact form is used by our CRM provider, SuperOffice. We will only use your details to respond to your message.

SECTION 2 – LEGITIMATE INTEREST

If you have purchased any of our products, please note that we may process your personal data for promotional purposes, based on Royal Queen Seeds' legitimate interest only to offer you products or services from our company and about products or services similar to those you have purchased. You may exercise your right to opt out of future messages by the means set out in this Privacy Policy or through any notification you receive.

2.1 How do you withdraw consent?

If you change your mind, you can withdraw your consent for us to contact you for the purpose of collecting, using, or disclosing your data at any time by reaching out to us at: support@royalqueenseeds.com.

SECTION 3 – DISCLOSURE

We may disclose your personal information if we are required to do so by law or if you breach our Terms of Service.

SECTION 4 – HOW LONG DO WE KEEP YOUR DATA?

At Royal Queen Seeds, we will not retain your data for longer than is necessary for the purposes described in this Policy. Different retention periods apply for different types of data; however, the longest period we will normally hold any personal data is 10 years.

4.1 Account information

Data relating to the account remains relevant for as long as the consumer is in possession of an account. Therefore, the data remains documented for as long as the account exists. When our customers delete an account, the associated data will be deleted within a reasonable period of time. Requests regarding the inspection or correction of stored personal data or the deletion of an account can be sent to support@royalqueenseeds.com.

4.2 Newsletters

In the event that you give us your consent to inform you about our products or services, we will keep your data until you express your wish not to receive any further communications from us. However, we regularly (every month) carry out a relevance check. Registered customers (and their personal information) will be deleted whenever customers do not reply to our request. In addition, our newsletter mailing has an opt-out feature. Consumers can withdraw their consent by using this opt-out feature.

SECTION 5 – COOKIES

Cookies are small information files that notify your computer of previous interactions with our website. These cookies are stored on your hard drive, not on our website. Essentially, when you use our website, your computer displays its cookies to us, informing our site that you have visited before. This allows our website to function more quickly and remember aspects related to your previous visits (such as your username), making your experience more convenient. At Royal Queen Seeds, we use two types of cookies: functional and analytical.

5.1 Functional Cookies

Functional cookies are used to enhance your online experience. Among other things, these cookies track what is added to your shopping cart. The use of these cookies does not require prior authorization.

5.2 Analytical Cookies

Analytical cookies are used for research and market analysis. The data collected with these analytical cookies is anonymous, making it unusable for third parties. The use of these cookies does not require prior authorization.

SECTION 5 – THIRD-PARTY SERVICES

Third-party services are required to conduct transactions and provide our services. In general, the third-party providers we use will only collect, use and disclose your information to the extent necessary to enable them to perform the services they provide to us.

However, certain third-party service providers, such as payment gateways and other payment transaction processors, have their own privacy policies regarding the information we must provide to them for your transactions.

We encourage you to read the privacy policies of these providers so that you can understand how these providers will handle your personal information.

In particular, certain suppliers may be located or have facilities located in a different jurisdiction than yours or ours. Therefore, if you choose to proceed with a transaction involving the services of a third party, your information may be subject to the laws of the jurisdiction in which that service provider or its facilities are located.

Once you leave our website or are redirected to a third-party website or application, you are no longer governed by this Privacy Policy or the Terms of Service of our website.

Web analytics service (anonymous data)

On this website we have integrated an element of a web analytics service (with anonymisation functionality). Web analytics can be defined as the gathering, processing and analysis of data about the behaviour of visitors to websites. An analytics service collects, among other things, data about which website a person came from (the so-called referrer), which sub-pages they visited or how often and for how long they visited a sub-page. Web analytics is mainly used for website optimisation and for a cost–benefit analysis of internet advertising.

Courier service

To complete deliveries we use a courier service. This courier service carries out the delivery between our company and the consumer's home. To complete these logistics, the company requires access to the consumer's name and address information.

Mailing service

Royal Queen Seeds uses a third-party mail service provider to send its newsletter. This provider has access to limited account information related to opt-in consent (e.g. email address).

Marketing services

Royal Queen Seeds has the support of a company that specialises in marketing and communication activities. Their access to personal information is very limited and mostly anonymous.

Payment services

At Royal Queen Seeds we use external payment services to handle our transactions (e.g. credit card payments).

SECTION 6 – SECURITY

To protect your personal information, we take reasonable precautions and follow industry standard best practices to ensure that it is not inappropriately lost, misused, accessed, disclosed, altered or destroyed.

If you provide us with your credit card information, the information is encrypted using secure socket layer technology (SSL) and stored using AES-256 encryption. Although no method of transmission over the internet or electronic storage is 100% secure, we follow all PCI-DSS requirements and implement additional industry standards that are commonly accepted. Information related to the account is protected with a hashing method. This method transforms the information into a generated hash. As a result, confidential information is protected and invisible, even to us. In addition, our databases are exceptionally protected against unauthorised access. For example, access to the database is only possible and permitted via approved IP addresses (e.g. from Royal Queen Seeds headquarters). Other attempts and addresses are rejected at all times.

Furthermore, data is anonymised as much as possible, so it cannot be directly linked to a specific consumer. With this data, however, we may be able to carry out market research and analysis. In addition, the third parties concerned (e.g. mailing service) are examined prior to our collaboration, comply with the GDPR from the EU and receive a processing agreement. Within Royal Queen Seeds, employees are assigned different access permissions. Specific permission provides access only to information that is strictly required to perform a task. Digital security measures are subject to change and must meet high requirements to ensure the safety of online customers. That is why, at Royal Queen Seeds, we appoint a security officer. Regular verification and improvement of security measures (where necessary) are part of the role.

SECTION 7 – CHANGES TO THIS PRIVACY POLICY

We reserve the right to modify this Privacy Policy at any time, so please check back regularly. Changes and clarifications will be effective immediately upon being published on the Website. If we make substantial changes to this policy, we will notify you here that it has been updated so you will know what information we collect, how we use it and under what circumstances, if any, we use and/or disclose it.

SECTION 8 – YOU HAVE THE RIGHT TO: